Latest influences on creators of fashion are, understandably, influenced by combat wear. Despite being against all war, Sean Combs, also known as Puff Daddy, staged his catwalk show at the opening of New York Fashion Week with a military parade of fighter pilot jackets, parkas, olive and khaki greatcoats and flying suits.
The collection is marketed under his own fashion label Sean John and included womenswear for the first time. He designed this with British designer Esther Franklin and the eight designs, all black, included a fur trimmed flying suit, a nylon bikini worn under a sable coat and a leather corset under a fox bolero.
For the men, there were cashmere long johns with distressed leather chaps and sheepskin flying jackets or long sheepskin greatcoats belted over cashmere turtlenecks and suede ski pants. Leather knee patch trousers were another option.
And it was not only in America that styling trends were stolen from the armed forces. Combat trousers appeared in silk at Dior, satin at Gucci, punk-style at Paul Smith, etc, etc. While combat trousers are not new, they are no longer to be worn with trainers and T-shirts but are dressed up with high heels and pretty tops in silk and lace.
